We are T-Minus 8 and counting until the start of the 2011 World Series of Poker on May 31, when the $500 Casino Employees tournament and the $25,000 Heads-Up No limit Holdem Championship get underway. In this article I’ll detail the key tournaments that will take place at the 2011 WSOP, starting with the aforementioned $25k Heads-Up NLHE tournament.

Key Event #1: May 31, 2011 — $25k Heads-up no-limit hold ’em championship

The $25k Heads-Up Championship will set the tone for the entire WSOP tournament series and as the second highest buy-in of the series should bring out all the stars in the poker world. It’s an interesting way to open the WSOP and would seem to be aimed at getting the best players in the world to Las Vegas at the beginning of the WSOP.

Key Event #2: June, 16, 2011 — $2,500 10-game mix (no-limit hold ’em, razz, limit hold ’em, Badugi, seven card stud, 2-7 draw lowball, Omaha high-low split, pot-limit Omaha, 2-7 triple draw lowball and seven card stud high-low split eight-or-better)

This is the first time a 10-game mix will be played at the WSOP, and also the first time Badugi will make an appearance at the WSOP. With a relatively modest buy-in of $2,500 this will likely be one of the most interesting, and for the pros +EV, tournaments of the 2011 WSOP as I’m anticipating a number of people entering the tournament who have only a basic understanding of some of the formats.

Key Event #3: June 27, 2011 — $10k Six-handed no-limit hold ’em championship

The 6-handed NLHE tournaments have been gaining in popularity over the past few years, and with a lower buy-in this year –last year’s tournament featured a $25k buy-in—I would expect a very good turnout, perhaps the biggest of any $10k event of the series sans the Main Event.

Key Event #4: July 2, 2011 — $50k The Poker Players’ Championship

The $50k tournament is one of the most prestigious in poker, and now that it is back on the ESPN schedule the turnout should be pretty solid again this year. Last year Mike “The Grinder” Mizrachi basically resurrected his poker career by winning this tournament, which will not be lost on many poker players looking to jump into the upper echelon of the poker community.

Key Event #5: July 7, 2011 — $10k No-limit hold ’em main event

It’s the Main Event! Enough Said!!!

You can check out the complete schedule for the 2011 WSOP at www.wsop.com

Tags: Appearance, Card Stud, Casino Employees, Countdown, ESPN, Espn Schedule, Heads-Up Championship, June 27, las vegas, main event, Players Championship, poker players, poker tournament, Poker World, Popularity, Pot Limit Omaha, Series Of Poker, world series, World Series of Poker, WSOP

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